Oklahoma-based visual artist MARIE KASH WELTZHEIMER (‘MKW’) received a ROCK JUSTICE AWARD™ for her exhibit “The Debut of the Marie Kash Connection: Elton John 52 Years On.”

 

Each of the 52 pieces was directly inspired by each year of Elton John’s meteoric music career—a body of work she completed in just 18 months. MKW’s original set of works present tremendous realism. Brushes, oil charcoal, graphite, color and light are her tools, and she is a leading expert in the use of pastels. She relies on the dramatic use of color and light to bring energy and beauty to her work.  MKW always has her eyes open to find the extraordinary in the ordinary. 

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“I am Marie’s greatest fan,” says Zimmerman. “Producer Sophie Ilys and I were overwhelmed by the comprehensive nature of Marie’s collection and knew right away that we had a major breakout artist who would enthrall both the artists and fans attending 11-17-22.  Each piece strikes you as if you were hearing a trumpet blast; they are so bold.” And it’s no wonder—MKW’s talent as a trumpet player earned her a scholarship at the University of Central Oklahoma.  She took many of musical theory courses, applied piano, and studied musical harmony and her educational background sounds more like that of Elton John, who studied in a music conservatory. “Elton is some kind of muse for me...no one sings and plays like him, no one,” says MKW. “I paint with my voice.”

 

MKW’s life-sized stand-ups of Elton John were a huge hit at the event. Her tall three-dimensional figures stare right back at you, and there is a moving quality to many of them that causes a constant double-take to see if the figures are alive. Fans on 11-17-22 rushed to take pictures as they hugged, kissed, and danced with oh-so-real Elton John figures she created. “They were real. They were extraordinary.  They had soul. A bit of Elton John, a lot of MKW, and they inspired every fan in that room going forward,” says Zimmerman. “Like a great Elton John song, they grab and hold onto you with both instant appeal and lasting endurance to inspire us all to embrace our most cherished dreams and to make them happen in reality, just like Marie Kash Weltzheimer has done.” Click here to see the 52-piece collection.